Nibbles

Nibbles: Kiss apple, Cryptic variation, Brewing yeast history, Sandalwood genebank, Large chile, Red dye, Grassland, Fish eco-labeling, Radiation

Koreans breed bite-sized apple for breath-freshening. Why can’t I find a picture?
Climate change bad for genetic diversity too. Tell that to taro in Cameroon.
Lager yeast came from South America. Thank you, Argentina! And more on long-distance microbe movement.
Field Gene Bank of Threatened Plants from the Western Ghats threatened.
Man’s 16-inch chili may be a record. Get your mind out of the gutter.
The source of Turkish Red.
“The proper use of native grasslands is to use them as grasslands…”
Something fishy about eco-labeling.
Japanese boffins trying to breed radiation-tolerant rice. Maybe they should look at this map in their search for parents for their crossing programme.

And we’re back: Desertification threatening Mongolia. Will Biden talk about that on his 6-hour visit today? No, I don’t think so either. Fortunately some people are trying to do something.
Life not great for pastoralists in Kenya either. But some people are looking to camel milk to see them through. Alas, the latest effort to boost food security research in E. Africa doesn’t have much for livestock-keepers.
Kew tries to reform UK native grassland seed business. Hope they are taking latest figures on species migration speeds into account.
Specialty Crops for Pacific Islands book out. Alas, it includes coffee.
But don’t worry, adapting to climate change is easy.

India to patent tribal medicinal knowledge. Community biodiversity register of medicinal plants, apparently with scientific backup.
Scientific American Blogs devote the day to food — which includes agriculture.
Language Log investigates leek turnovers. And you thought we were OCD?

Need a new pest or disease? Here’s the latest list from CAB Abstracts.
WHO’s e-Library of Evidence for Nutrition Actions. No food, as such, that I could see.
Is “famine” partly the result of a fixation on maize?
Nah, course not. At least, I think not … “Drought persuades Kenya to import GM maize“.
CIAT and partners toast new BREAD project. (FX: Groan.) It’s about breeding cassava and banana.
Plant Breeders Without Borders. Read more here. Could do with a snappier title, I reckon.
India’s long-range weather forecast looks bad.
Modern vegetables are less nutritious.

Jess dissects nutrition mystification. So hey, Jess, what field do you work in?
Can agricultural research help eradicate famine? CGIAR boss asks the tough ones.
Giant FAO document on Payments for Ecosystem Services and Food Security.
Crop diversity and disease pressure, The case of maize in China.
Wanna job? Crops for the Future Research Centre is hiring.
Our chums at the Global Crop Diversity Trust get a Dutch treat.
Nagoya Protocol threatens to conserve Mexican biodiversity.
The Scientist Gardener distinguishes hay from straw.
Ford Denison scrutinizes nitrogen-fixing cereals paper.